Anxiety in the menopause #worldmentalhealthday

This post is day 10 in my participation in #Blogtober2018. As it is World Mental Health Day I thought how I would discuss how my anxiety levels have soared during the menopause.

When I was in my teens I suffered extreme anxiety but I did not know what it was or what it was caused by, in the 1970’s no one talked about mental health openly. But my teenage experiences are another post for another day. Since my late teens I have been very happy go lucky and positive. Always been a cup half full person and still am. However, since I have been in the full throws of the menopause I seem to be suffering from anxiety again in certain settings. Like many women my age I thought I was seriously ‘losing the plot!’ until I researched and acknowledged that it is a recognised symptom of the menopause.

Don’t get me wrong I’m still an upbeat positive person and I can mainly control my anxiety.

My triggers are usually when I am in what I perceive to be dangerous situations. My biggest cause of anxiety is when a passenger in a car on a motorway. This is almost crippling and I do not know where it has come from or what has caused it. Mr Fitz and I have always driven to events and places for days out, short breaks and holidays. Lately though I am filled with dread at the prospect of a road trip, even if it’s just across the other side of the city to visit family.

I have always had a fear of flying and have to take Valium prescribed by my GP when flying, this is such an irrational fear, again another post for another day. I can manage this fear with medication., but having said that I do not want to have to resort to this method for simply driving or being a passenger in a car.

If you’ve read my earlier piece about the menopause you will see that I use Kalms herbal tablets. These are widely recognised to be beneficial. I don’t know if it’s a placebo effect but I do find they help.

There are other situations where I feel anxious, I often see danger everywhere, but I manage to control it.

I am shocked by these new symptoms but it helps that some of my friends and peers going through the menopause too have also developed anxiety. Talking about your problems to friends or family is often the best medicine -I truly believe in the old saying “A Problem Shared Is A Problem Halved”

Thank you for reading, please take the time to look at some of the other bloggers involved in this #Blogtober2018 initiative.

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I’m Elaine a Neonatal Nurse who retired from the NHS at age 55. I’m loving this next phase of my life – Retirement is the best job I ever had. I want to share over 50’s lifestyle tips including age appropriate beauty reviews, coping with the trials and tribulations of the Menopause, weight gain around the middle, fashion, travel. Also using my Neonatal experience for gift guides and ways to support families of Preterm and sick newborns.